Buying Photoshop..?
Hoppitty
Posts: 473
Hi there. So...I like doing 3D art, working mostly with DAZ Studio and doing my postwork in GIMP. I like GIMP but sometimes it can be a pain to work with, particularly working with text, and more importantly (for me) getting brushes to work right. But GIMP is free, and I like free! :) Recently, though, I started thinking seriously about buying a copy of photoshop to work with instead. So I searched for photoshop and my head exploded...
There are a ton of different photoshop products out there, and I can't make heads or tails of which one is the right one to buy. I'm not keen on the ones that need monthly fees or hundreds of dollars to buy outright; which means I'm pretty much looking at Elements from what I can tell. But what exactly is the right thing to buy, here? And will Elements do everything I need for postwork? Mostly, I need to be able to work with brushes, like Ron's and Orester's, as well as a few filters, adding text to an image, playing with brightness/contrast and colors, etc. -- basically everything Gimp can do, but preferably better. I don't want to pay money for a product that does less...
Anyone have any insights or advice? Thanks in advance!
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CS6 is the last version you can buy outright, with CC being the subscription model. Photoshop Elements is the cheaper option and *can* do everything you need based by what you listed.
I suggest you also take a look at Nik Tools (bought out by Google some time back). It's completely compatible with Elements 9+ (except the HDR FX module).
Main site: https://www.google.com/nikcollection/
Compatibility matrix: https://support.google.com/nikcollection/answer/3000889?hl=en&ref_topic=3000839
...PSPX6 is another alternative. I have X4 and find it very easy to work with layers including text. I've used it to alter and even create new texture maps. There are a few of the filters and tools in Gimp that I still like better so I tend to use both programmes together.
PSPX6 will also allow you to load .abr brushes without having to convert them.
If you are still inclined to get the full Photoshop CS6, you can still get it with a perpetual licence for 699$.
Photoshop CS6 Perpetual Licence
I'm using most of Ron's brushes with Elements. They work just fine, without any conversions. You just have to make sure they are installed in the brush folder.
Elements has all the basic stuff you mentioned.
I recommend to use the trial versions and see if it covers your needs.
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=photoshop_elements&loc=en
https://creative.adobe.com/plans has the CC version. But be aware that when you "buy" CC, it's a cloud version access for one year, not the regular "install and use it for fifteen years".
I got Elements too. I wanted to open some makeup files I had for V4 that were stuck in PSD. All gimp would show me was the cover. I got Elements cheaper at Amazon than it was on the Adobe site, (It was about $80 on Amazon) and yet still from Adobe... I too love Gimp and will still use it for a lot for things. I love doing simple color changes and things like that in Gimp. But sometimes you want to use a brush or open a PSD file. Elements looks cheesy but once you learn where your settings are tucked away, its not bad at all.
Gimp has no issues opening PSD files. Where it fails is opening PSD files that have Photoshop groups/folders in them.
Yeah it was a makeup PSD with a ton of layers, couldn't figure out how to get to the files without buying Elements. There was free download of something that was suppose to do this from command line but with no instructions I was clueless on how to use it. So to open my files, I ended up with Elements. My daughter likes it better than Gimp, I still like Gimp better. But I use to feel like if I couldn't afford $600 Photoshop it was terrible. Elements really isn't as bad as I thought it would be.
This is just my personal take on it. Your (and others') mileage WILL vary.
I started using photoshop back in version 5.0 (looong ago) and I let it lapse awhile after 6. I tried elements, because it was cheaper than upgrading to 7, and I found it SO frustrating because its UI was so annoying. I like the simplicity of photoshop. Just grey drop-down menus. it may not be spicy to look at (though your work will be) but its no frills approach to UI makes things easy to find and intuitive. I did try GIMP once too. Couldn't stand it.
I know PS isnt cheap, but if you go the subscription route it's palatable. Personally, I outright bought my copy and treasure it. It is, without a doubt, my right hand. I use it for so many things. It's simplicity of design and ease of use just can't be beat. Give it a shot. I believe you can try it for a month (i could be wrong, no pitchforks please) -see what you think. But seriously, it is its own addiction and well worth the investment.
I am allergic to subscriptions because they suck your soul out of your body with a coffee-stirrer. They're so small that you forget you have them, but in concert, they will make you poor if you don't pay attention. Subscriptions are evil, and therefore I'm allergic to all things Adobe, so I use Aftershot (a Lightroom competitor) and PaintShop Pro Xwhatever. They are fine and Corel spends time updating them at least annually, which I appreciate. They have free trials for all their software.
I am looking for the exit on Adobe Reader, Flash, and Java. I already have the Corel counterpart to Adobe Acrobat. It was cheap, and there is no subscription. So far so good.
Even though they're (supposedly) free, the price is still too high for me (Adobe and Oracle keep trying to add toolbars and other malware every time I upgrade).
Yes, Platinum Club is a subscription, and I do consider it evil too even though I have it. I pay it annually rather than allow it to draw my blood monthly like an IV or Italian mobster. And I'll let it lapse as soon as I'm done buying from DAZ. You have to do this with ALL subscriptions or they will put you in the poor house.
...I use PDF Exchange instead of Acrobat. Even their free "reader" is better
Unfortunately to make the libraries in Poser/PoserPro work you need Flash which is not only a pain in the bum and security risk, but for some reason I can only update it for the Poser Library through the "screen door" known as IE. Definitely the worst of both worlds.
No you don't. Change it to external in the preferences, which works in Adobe Air and not Flash. Still Adobe though. lol
Or you could buy something like Semidieu's Shaderworks Library Manager over at RDNA, which kicks them both to the curb since it's Python.
Thanks for the advice, everyone! I'm going to try the Elements 30 day trial first; if I like it, it looks like Amazon has it cheapest at only $69 right now: http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-65225054-Photoshop-Elements-12/dp/B00EOQZB0A
I'm not a fan of subscriptions, though I did look at the creative cloud thing. Fifty bucks a month is hard to swallow, though having photoshop AND indesign might be nice -- but that's a whole different can of worms. :P
The subscription model is hard for me to jump on board with because there are a lot of things that Adobe software can do that other software can't do and won't even be able to read. Should you stop subscribing, you'll possibly have tons of files that become useless.
On the other hand, if you're looking long term, $50/month is pretty decent considering you're getting everything that would be included in the $2600+ Master Collection plus more as well as routine updates and feature additions. There are already things that CC can do that CS6 can't.
Personally, I'm sticking with CS6 as there are things in it that I still haven't learned/touched yet. Now if I could just get my hands on a cheap copy of Illustrator CS6 I'd be good. I do have Inkscape, but I crave the interoperability that exists between Photoshop and Illustrator.
/edit
Oh, one added note, if you do photography at all and decide to stick with Elements, invest in Lightroom as well. Elements has a gimped form of Adobe Camera Raw, leaving you without a lot of the options that it has when launched from Photoshop.
No you don't. Change it to external in the preferences, which works in Adobe Air and not Flash. Still Adobe though. lol
Or you could buy something like Semidieu's Shaderworks Library Manager over at RDNA, which kicks them both to the curb since it's Python.
...I'll have to consider that last option. I really don't want any Adobe utilities on the workstation if I can avoid it (well, with the exception of the perpetual licence version of Photoshop CS6 if I ever could afford it).
A bit OT but PS related... in the changelog of upcoming version of DS we get: "Fixed an issue with DSON Studio for Photoshop where some plugins were not loading due to an incorrect executable path". What's "DSON Studio for Photoshop"?
Adobe has made no longer possible to purchase volume licenses for Adobe CS6 and at the end of last month Creative Cloud has become the only option for businesses who use volume licenses.
This does not affect sales to universities, schools or individuals at this time.
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/enterprise/387724/adobe-to-halt-volume-sales-of-cs6-at-end-of-may
Microsoft has also changed it's license model with MSOffice, when I bought office 2008 home it came with 3 licenses for installs on 3 computers, when I bought office 2011 for the same price it came with 1 license for one computer, if you want multiple licenses like office 2008 you need to purchase to Office 365 which is a monthly subscription. MS also dropped the upgrade path price so you don't get a discount if you had a previous version, they dropped support for 2008 last year, I don't know if it's the same thing for Windows right now since I'm in more of a mac business environment all day and my PC has become my Blender, DS and CS machine but I do see an ugly (IMHO) trend here.
...I'll have to consider that last option. I really don't want any Adobe utilities on the workstation if I can avoid it (well, with the exception of the perpetual licence version of Photoshop CS6 if I ever could afford it).
I wouldn't recommend completely uninstalling flash/air, as there are some things that LM2 can't do (as I just found out it won't transfer rigging in the setup room like the default library does).
A typo? Not a clue. lol
Whatever it is it's part of the private beta and not the public beta.
...just went to the page in the link I posted above put the full version in my cart (not going to submit the order as I don't have 699$ in my account) Granted, it is only a Download rather than Boxed version but it is still available.
Good to know in case I have $700 . thanks
I went onto Amazon and scooped up the last available edition of Photoshop because I don't do cloud subscriptions on things that important. I want it in my hot little hands. I would check Amazon and Ebay if you want that last edition where you can actually get the product installed. It is a powerful tool, even if there are upgrades and updates, the edition is awesome.
If you can't get a stand alone copy of Photoshop, then stay away from the subscription. There are plenty of other good (cheaper) software options for post-work (if you know how to draw--then even more like ArtRage, Sketchbook Pro).
I have an older copy of PS that suits my needs but would never consider going to a subscription (I like to call it, "hostage") model. When an artist buys brushes, they are his brushes. He doesn't have to make payments on them at the end of every month or worry that if he can't make a payment, someone will come and take his brushes away. The subscription model was a shameless money-grab from Adobe that completely disregards their customer base.
I would be happy if no one ever bought a copy of Photoshop (or any other Adobe product) again.
Kyoto, let's recap for a second:
this went into affect for companies who have volume licenses for CS5 or lower, we were told (by Adobe) to upgrade to CS6 by May 30 or Cloud was the only option but my gut feeling is Adobe will extend this out in the coming months. This is a company that widely ignored a petition with nearly 50,000 signatures to offer a non subscription based CS alternative alongside Creative Cloud.
After many years of use of graphics programs (starting with Ulead iPhoto for DOS :-))) in the early 80s, after Micrografx Publisher, Photoshop 5, CSxx, Elements from V 5.0 and higher, Ulead (later Corel) PhotoImpact X11 / X3), I now came to Corel Paint shop Pro X6. This is now the most used graphics program for me. You can import the most Brushes for Photoshop (eg Ron's SUPER Brushes here at DAZ), and results are consistent with less mouse clicks available as with other programs. The vast majority of plugins work excellent (DFine, Fractalius, FaceFilter ..., ...). For me, I hate the newer versions of Photoshop with a monthly payment and cloud working .........
this went into affect for companies who have volume licenses for CS5 or lower, we were told (by Adobe) to upgrade to CS6 by May 30 or Cloud was the only option but my gut feeling is Adobe will extend this out in the coming months. This is a company that widely ignored a petition with nearly 50,000 signatures to offer a non subscription based CS alternative alongside Creative Cloud.
...OK, so for any of us who may want it we can still get the full version, for now.
C'mon Lotto ticket! The kid needs Photoshop CS6 before the clouds roll in for good
I personally like the Photoshop subscription model. I could never spend $700 at once, but $9,99 a month is not that much. $9,99 is the price if you subscribe to Photoshop only and not the whole creative suite, and that is affordable.
Hey, and all of you, who complain about subscriptions, how many of you are PC members here? :-) :-)
I think the issue is that if you drop your PC subscription, you can keep using the items you bought at PC prices, whereas if you drop your Creative Cloud subscription, if I understand correctly, the software stops working.
...if your PC membership expires, it doesn't prevent you from continuing to use Daz Studio, Carrara, Bryce and any content/plugins you purchased. As a matter of fact it doesn't even prohibit you from making further purchases as all you lose is the 30% PC discount, access to the PC forum, and the monthly 6$ coupon.
With Adobe's cloud subscription, miss a payment or not have enough money to spare for a month or two, and no Photoshop.
Big difference.
[ETA]
...ach,
Fixmypcmike, your throughput is faster than my throughput.
Yes, that is correct. But on the other side, you can use it for 70 months, and thats almost 6 years, until you have paid the full price for it (70 x 9.99).
Of course everyones money management is different, but I prefer to pay small rates instead of one big amount. And if I decide one day to not use PS anymore, I can always cancel my subscription.
For people like you who use only Photoshop and not the Extended version, the price works out, but for people like me who use more/want to use more, and do own the Extended versions, it gets a little pricier/riskier.
For people like you who use only Photoshop and not the Extended version, the price works out, but for people like me who use more/want to use more, and do own the Extended versions, it gets a little pricier/riskier.
Don't you get the extended version with the $9.99 subscription?